The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-01-08

reauer Oh DOCKS, 9nu name, without re-
gard to my present Judgment of their lit
erary value, the books and authors from
whom l am conscious of having derived
marked benefit. AS some have done
much more for me than others, I adopt
the scale of ten on which to grade my au-
thors; and l rate them as nearly as am
now able, according to the good I have
derived from them. The lower degrees
one, two, three-indicate special help, but
only in slight measure; the highest de-
gree, ten, denotes sense of the greatest
benefit L have ever been aware of re-
ceiving from book or author-creating
an era in my intellectual or moral exper-
ience.
1. Peter Parley's Books-3
2. Poor Richards Almanac.
8. Esop's Fables.
4. Pilgrims Progress6.
5. Plutarch's Lives-7.
6. Marshall's Life of Washington and
Wirts Life of Patrick Henry-5.
Z. Scott's Novels and Poems-S.
8. Burns-6.
8. The Confessions of Rousseau--2
10. Locke's essay on the Understanding
g.
IL. Charles Lambs Essays-5.
IL. John Fosters Essays.
13. Ruskin's Speeches, Letters and Essay
on the Sublime and Beautiful-9.
IA. Campbells Lives of the Lord Chancel-
lors--6.
15 Goethe's Wilhelm Meister" +" and
"Faust"-7.
16. Bacon's Essays.
II. Macaulay's History and Essays-1O.
49, Washington Irving-6
10. DeQuincey's ''Opium Eater " and Es-
Says.
90 Milton's Poems--10.
2l. Sir Thos. Browne-10.
%. Recreations of Country Parson-7.
%. John Brown of Edinburgh--S.
"a. Autocrat at the Breakfast Tables.
25. Lowell's Poems and Essays--8.
26. "Sartor Resartus" and "Past and Pres
ent"-lO
27. Theo. Parker's Speeches and Occa-
sional Addresses"-1O.
%. Sir VIM. Hamilton's Metaphysics-9.
29. Andrews Norton-8.
30. f. w. Robertson-1O.
81. "Ecce Homo'--10.
81. John Stuart Mill, particularly his Lib
erty"-9.
80. Herbert Spencer, particularly 'sEduca-
tion"-8.
"a. "Scarlet Letters.
35. Emerson's Essays-10.
36. Horace Bushnell-8.
81. James Martineau-10.
SO. John Ruskin-10
49, Geo. Macdonald-10.
40A Charles Dickens-7.
Al. Scougal's "Life of God in the Soul of
Mans.
AZ. essays and Reviews"-S.
43. John Stuart Blaikie's "Self Culture"
5
A. Shairps Couture and Religion"- g.
45. Matthew Arnold's Literature and
Dogma"-8.
46. Victor Hugos "Les Miserables"
AZ. Thoughts" of Marcus Antoninus-7.
4S. Edward De Amicis-Travels-S
49. Hamerton's ''Intellectual Life'-8.
so. Shakespeare's Plays.
81. Swedenborg's Works, particularly "The
New Christian Religion"-5.
50. Maurice's Gospel of the Kingdom of
Heavens.
80. j. H. Shorthouse's "John Inglesant"
-6,
"a. George Eliot's "Romola"-6.
55. 'Ben Hur"-8.
Sc. ''Enigmas of Life" W. R. Gregg-6.
81. Mulfold's "Nation"-7.
5S. Thackeray's 'Newcomes" and "Pen-
dennis"-S
50. Huxley's Lay Sermons-7.
go. Arthur Helps Friends in Council" and
Companions of My Soltude"-S
81. Sterne's Sentimental Journey" and
"Tristram Shandy''-9.
62. Burton's Anatomy of Melancholy
5.
SO. Goulburn's "Personal Religion and
pursuit of Roliness''-s.
GA. Dean Stanley's Works-S.
In this list / have not included text
books, nor books of reference, nor scien-
tific treatises, nor the works of specialists
L presume that | have omitted books that
will later occur to me- as demanding a
place in this registry. I confess myself
surprised at the rating in few instances.
Why should Milton be 10 and Shake
speare only 8? 1 think Shakespeare the
greater name; but on interrogating my
experience, find that Milton produced
a greater effect on me than Shakespeare
ever did. 1t will strike some as strange
that Charming does not appear on my
list, while Theo. Parker is there and rated
at the highest figure. Well, am giving, as
before explained, not my present estimate
Of authors, but as exact an account as /
am able OF the help derived from them.
1t chanced that did not read Channing's
works until after had absorbed his ideas
from other authors. At one stage OF my
religious and moral development, Theo.
Parker happened to be of the greatest
service to me. Numerous authors are
not mentioned at all, because, while
recall them vividly and pleasantly, can
not find that have derived any special
help from them. The selt-inspeetion
have undergone in making this incom-
plete list of the "Books that Have Done
Most for Me-" impresses anew a truth of
which was before pretty we'll convinced,
viz, THAT the greater part of what we read
is not definitely useful to u.s. 1t serves
the purpose of entertainment, beguiles
some weary hours, keeps us informed of